Sarasota County has officially moved its government operations to a new $100.15 million administration building at 1 Apex Road, just off I-75. The 121,160-square-foot facility replaces the Ringling Boulevard site that Hurricane Milton damaged in 2024. Built with reinforced concrete, steel, and impact glass, the building is silver LEED certified and features solar panels. County officials say it’s designed to serve residents for 50 to 75 years.
The funding picture is worth a closer look. The county sold the old building for $25 million and drew more than $22 million from the voter-approved penny surtax. According to county communications staff, roughly 30% of that surtax is paid by visitors rather than residents. About 275 employees will work at the new location, including the Board of County Commissioners, the county attorney, and the clerk and comptroller, which means public meetings and county services now have a new address.
If you’re a regular at commission meetings or you’ve had to visit a county office downtown, your routine is about to change. And with a November referendum asking voters to extend the county’s land preservation program through 2049, the debate over growth, taxes, and preservation is heating up. Where do you stand on the new building and the upcoming vote? Let us know in the comments.
